One type of self-service terminal is an automated teller machine (ATM). An ATM includes an application that provides visual cues and lead-through information to its users to help them operate the ATM correctly so that a high quality human-machine interface is provided. However, ATMs are highly configurable, and different versions of the same type of device may be installed on ATMs.
As used herein, a type of device relates to the function performed by a device. Those devices that perform the same (or a similar) function are of the same type. For example, a card reader is a type of device. A motorised card reader may be one version of that type of device; a dip card reader may be another version of that type of device. A different type of device may be a deposit module.
Different versions of the same type of device may be used within the same ATM network. For example, one ATM may have one version of a type of device; whereas, another ATM may have a different version of the same type of device. For example, one ATM may have a motorised card reader; another ATM may have a dip card reader. To ensure that each ATM has the correct visual cues and lead-through information, each ATM typically has an application that is tailored for the hardware configuration of that ATM. This tailored application includes images that are appropriate for those devices and those versions of devices that are installed on that ATM.
It is time-consuming to have to tailor an application so that it includes the correct images for the particular configuration of that ATM. There is also that problem that the tailored application may not be configured correctly at installation. Furthermore, the hardware configuration of the ATM may change subsequent to installation (for example, due to an upgrade of one version of a device for another version of a device that has more features) so that the tailored application may no longer have the correct images.
These problems are exacerbated by the fact that many types of devices (not just the card reader) may differ from one ATM configuration to another ATM configuration.
It would be advantageous to provide a system that could establish the correct linkage between an application and devices installed on a terminal at run-time rather than at installation.
Furthermore, the requirement to set up this linkage manually creates the possibility that the incorrect visual cue could be linked to a device. This would create confusion on the part of a user, resulting in a poor quality human-machine interaction. It would be a further advantage if this linkage could be created and/or updated automatically.